1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is generally directed to a hanging shoe rack. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a hanging shoe rack which supports the shoes in an inclined manner, such that each shoe is sloped downwardly toward the vertical surface upon which the shoe rack is attached. Additionally, the hanging shoe rack of the present invention contains attachment structure allowing multiple such racks to be suspended from one another.
2. Description of the Related Art
Numerous types of shoe racks have been developed for storing shoes in a convenient manner. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 2,682,955 (Moore) illustrates a reversible shoe rack having a shoe support pivotally mounted to a side frame. The shoe support includes front and rear support bars which retain the shoe in an inclined manner, such that the toe of the shoe is angled downwardly and abuts against the wall supporting the shoe rack. U.S. Pat. No. 4,688,681 (Bergeron) discloses a foot apparel storage assembly which includes shelves supported at a base upon a back plate. The shelves are inclined downwardly toward a supporting wall such that shoes positioned on the shelf are inclined downwardly toward the wall. U.S. Pat. No. 1,769,344 (Hoffmire) discloses a portable shoe rack wherein paddles extend outwardly from a back brace in a manner to support shoes in an inclined manner such that the toe of a shoe is angled downwardly and abuts against the back brace. U.S. Pat. No. 2,238,884 (Hoffman) and U.S. Pat. No. 2,090,108 (Cicero) illustrate shoe racks for hanging on a vertical surface, such as a wall or the back of a door.
One known prior art shoe rack has a pair of elongate, spaced-apart base members for abutting with a door or wall upon which the shoe rack hangs. Each base member has a plurality of outwardly extending side bars, wherein corresponding side bars of the base members have a pair of spaced-apart rod members extending therebetween for supporting shoes. The side bar members are inclined upwardly as they extend from the base members. Thus, shoes positioned on the rod members incline downwardly towards the supporting surface of the rack. Additionally, this known prior art shoe rack is modular in nature, thereby permitting additional such racks to be attached to it in a suspended manner.
A primary problem with conventional shoe racks, including the known modular shoe rack previously described, is their inability to prevent shoes from sliding sideways off the rack without an additional side support member for blocking the shoes. Thus, those prior art shoe racks which do not provide such a side support member have difficulty in retaining shoes on the rack, particularly where the rack is positioned on a closet door. It will be appreciated that, as the door is swung open and closed, the shoes on the rack are forced toward the side of the rack and, in the absence of a side supporting member, may fall from the rack. Alternatively, those racks which provide a side support member are more structurally complex and costly to manufacture due to the addition of the side support members.
Additionally, a known problem with the heretofore described prior art modular shoe rack is the inability to retain suspended members in a rigid position relative to the shoe racks with which it is connected, particularly when the racks are positioned on a swinging door, as described above. In this regard, the known prior art modular hanging shoe rack previously described utilizes a pair of posts extending rearwardly from an upper portion of the base members. A lower portion of the base members have a pair of apertures such that the posts at the upper portion of a first shoe rack are inserted into the apertures at a lower portion of a second shoe rack. However, when such a modular shoe rack is placed on a door, these lower shoe rack portions have a tendency to swing from side-to-side as the doors open and close. This increases the likelihood of shoes falling from the racks, particularly where no side support structure is provided. Additionally, the suspended racks bow outwardly from the door, causing them to flop when the door is opened and closed and creating a space through which shoes slip.
Accordingly, the need exists for an inexpensive hanging shoe rack having side supporting members and a minimum number of parts. The need also exists for a modular hanging shoe rack which allows multiple racks to be suspended from one another and which engage one another in a manner to resist lateral displacement therebetween. The present invention fills these and other needs, and overcomes the drawbacks associated with prior art shoe racks.